Thief and bad driver: man crashes stolen car

People get into legally problematic situations all the time. Most of them require criminal defense services in order to prevent or minimize the consequences that arise from such situations. Of course, one key thing that everyone can do is to avoid making their own bad situation even worse.

Recently, a New York man demonstrated his inability to follow that most basic advice, when he responded to questions from the police in a way that only made his legal situation worse and worse.

The story began when he was seen slumped over the wheel of the car that he was in, apparently asleep. That drew the attention of passersby, who contacted the New York Police Department. NYPD officers went to the scene, talked with the man and obtained his identification — after which he promptly drove off, leaving the officers behind.

The officers subsequently discovered that the vehicle the man was in had been reported stolen, potentially meaning that the man was guilty of felony theft. They also determined that the man had multiple addresses in Nassau, so they informed Nassau authorities of the situation.

At 11:52 a.m. that morning, at Kingston Boulevard and Industrial Place, the man was involved in a major car crash while he was driving through Nassau County’s Island Park. Naturally, Nassau authorities responded to the accident and found the very man NYPD officers had contacted them about in the middle of it, still in the stolen car. His arrest occurred moments thereafter.

Four people suffered minor injuries in the accident, which is the source of an ongoing investigation. It is not known yet if the man was at fault, but it’s likely that there will be more charges to come.

This type of story is a cautionary tale for others: The best way to respond to an officer’s questions is calmly. If you think you may be in trouble for any reason, invoke your right to remain silent and ask for an attorney. Don’t make your situation worse by trying to evade arrest.